| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1736 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Mari Spivey Willis was honored by the City of Odessa |
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| 6 | 6 | | during Black History Month 2023 in recognition of her outstanding |
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| 7 | 7 | | service to her community; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, From 2018 to 2022, Mrs. Willis represented |
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| 9 | 9 | | District 5 on the Odessa City Council; she was involved in a number |
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| 10 | 10 | | of projects undertaken by the council to improve quality of life for |
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| 11 | 11 | | area residents; at the same time, her brother, Eddy Spivey, was |
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| 12 | 12 | | serving as justice of the peace for Precinct 4, and they enjoyed the |
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| 13 | 13 | | rare distinction of being sibling elected officials; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Willis has also given generously of her time |
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| 15 | 15 | | and talents in a number of other leadership roles; she has served on |
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| 16 | 16 | | the board of West Texas Gifts of Hope, among other organizations; in |
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| 17 | 17 | | addition, she has been a member of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce |
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| 18 | 18 | | Ambassadors, the Black Chamber of Commerce of The Permian Basin, |
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| 19 | 19 | | and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; a woman of strong |
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| 20 | 20 | | faith, she is an active member of St. James Missionary Baptist |
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| 21 | 21 | | Church, where she serves as a deaconess, a Sunday school teacher, |
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| 22 | 22 | | and a member of the Business and Professional Women's Ministry; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Born and raised in Odessa, Mari Willis is the |
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| 24 | 24 | | daughter of Haskell and Myrtle Lee Spivey; she graduated from Ector |
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| 25 | 25 | | High School, the University of Houston, and The University of Texas |
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| 26 | 26 | | Permian Basin; retired from the Ector County Independent School |
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| 27 | 27 | | District after 23 years of teaching, she is supported in all her |
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| 28 | 28 | | endeavors by her husband of 34 years, Kirk Willis; they have been |
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| 29 | 29 | | blessed with two daughters, Mariah Strong and Alisha Slider, and |
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| 30 | 30 | | through the years, their fine family has grown to include their |
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| 31 | 31 | | son-in-law, LaDarius Slider, and four treasured grandchildren, |
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| 32 | 32 | | Nyla, Kayli, Kendi, and Kaiser; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Mari Spivey Willis has made a lasting, positive |
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| 34 | 34 | | difference in her community, and her contributions have earned the |
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| 35 | 35 | | deep admiration and appreciation of her fellow citizens; now, |
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| 36 | 36 | | therefore, be it |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 38 | 38 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Mari Spivey Willis on her |
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| 39 | 39 | | recognition by the City of Odessa during Black History Month 2023 |
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| 40 | 40 | | and extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | further |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 43 | | prepared for Mrs. Willis as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 44 | 44 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 45 | 45 | | Davis |
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| 46 | 46 | | ______________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | 48 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1736 was adopted by the House on May |
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| 49 | 49 | | 23, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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